Chaplain Thomas F. With

Chief Chaplain (2022 - 2024)

  

    Thomas With was appointed to Director of Region 6 East in April 2016, before being elected 2nd Deputy Chief Chaplain in April 2018. He serves the Fuller Road FD of Colonie NY, as their Chaplain since 2001, an Interior Firefighter and Safety Officer. Offices previously held were Fire Police Lt., 1^st and 2^nd Lt., and Captain in charge of Training. Tom also serves on the Town of Colonie Emergency Services Committee as Operations CAR 8, assisting specifically the Town Fire Police, since 1996. He is a Past President of the Hudson Mohawk VFA; the Volunteer Fire Police Association of the State of NY; The Fire Police Association of Albany County; and, Past Chairman of the NYS Fire Service Council 2006-2007. He is current Chairman of the Albany County Burn Fund; current Director at Large for the VFPASNY; 2018 appointment FASNY Asst. Sgt. At Arms; and, Past County Vice-President in the Hudson Valley VFA. Tom is also recipient of his Fire Department’s Firefighter of the Year, Hudson Valley VFA Fire Police Officer of the Year, and, was honored by the Volunteer Fire Police Assn. of the State of New York with their annual seminar now titled as the “Annual Thomas With Fire Police Training Seminar”, held at the New York State Fire Academy. He is currently a member of FASNY; NYS Fire Chiefs; Hudson Mohawk VFA; Hudson Valley VFA; Cumberland Valley VFA; The Fire Police Association of Albany County; Volunteer Fire Police Association of the State of New York; Volunteer Fire Judging Association; the Royal Order of Blues Vests; New York State Fire Service Council; the National Volunteer Fire Council; and, of course the New York State Association of Fire Chaplains.

 

Tom's Contact Information:

tomwith@hotmail.com

518-378-7074 (c)(text)

34 Woodside Avenue

Albany, NY 12205 

Chaplain Richard G. Bolster

1st Deputy Chief Chaplain

  

 

 

Chaplain Joseph McCarthy was appointed to the Board of Directors of the New York State Association of Fire Chaplains, Inc. at the October 8, 2018 Board of Directors meeting as our New York State At Large Director. Joe has been involved in the Volunteer Fire Service for 30 years and has served as a 2nd Lt., 1st Lt., Captain of Rescue Squad, Hook and Ladder, Fire Police, Chief Driver of Ambulance, E.M.T.D.I., and Chair and Co-Chair of many Fundraising activities.

Chaplain McCarthy has received the Firefighter of the Year Award and belongs to the Firefighter’s Memorial Executive Committee, Fire Chief’s Council of Suffolk County (serving as Co-Chaplain), and is a Team Leader for Suffolk County Emergency Services Critical Incident Stress Management Team.

Joe is a former Child Care Worker for Hearing Impaired Children and is a former safety technician at a federal facility. He is also a NYS Licensed Real Estate Broker, and is a former member of his local Town Affordable Housing Committee and has been a lifelong advocate for the disadvantaged.

He is the Chaplain of the Fire Chiefs Council of Suffolk County and joined the association in 2013.

Joe’s contact information:
jomaceb@aol.com
(631) 765-0005 (home)
(631) 740-1743 (cell-voice and text)
PO Box 554
Southold, NY 11971-0554

 

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Chaplain Leon I. VanWie

Supply Officer 

 

 

Chaplain Leon I. VanWie was the Chief Chaplain for the New York State Association of Fire Chaplains, Inc. from 2020 - 2022. He retired in 2017 after serving 44 years as a United Methodist pastor serving churches in western, central and northern New York. Rev. VanWie has been active in the fire service since 1976 and was an EMT for over 15 years. Currently he is the Chaplain and President for the Town of Watertown Volunteer Fire Department and is Chaplain for the City of Watertown Fire Department. He also serves as Jefferson County Car 51, along with Chaplain Sam Lundy, as a Deputy Fire Coordinator for chaplain services. He also belongs to numerous county and state fire organizations.

Executive Secretary

Past Chief Chaplain (2006-2008) 

 

Bill's Contact Information:

Chaplain Thomas J. Flander, Jr.

Regional Director – North Central

 

Chaplain Thomas J. Flander, Jr. is the Director of Region 4 North Central for the New York State Association of Fire Chaplains, Inc. He currently serves as Pastor of the Glen Reformed Church in the Hamlet of Glen, NY. He is also employed with the New York State Department of Transportation. Pastor Tom has been active in the EMS and fire service since 1996. He currently serves as Captain / Chaplain for the Town of Mohawk Volunteer Fire Department that resides outside of the Village of Fonda in Montgomery County, NY. Pastor Tom also serves on the Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) for Montgomery County Emergency Management. Chaplain Flander can be reached through the New York State Association of Fire Chaplains.

Chaplain Clarice Murphy

New York State At Large Director

 

Chaplain Robert H. Ruston

Regional Director – South East

 

Chaplain Robert Ruston joined the NYS Association of Fire Chaplains in 1986, and has served as a Director of the Association since 2013. Beginning his fire service in 1955 with the New Hampshire Forest Fire Service while in a prominent school. Returning home to Bronxville, NY in 1956 he became a member of the City of Yonkers Auxiliary FD in which he was a recipient of a NYS Civilian Award. In 1958, Bob joined the Eastchester Fire Department’s Bronxville Engine & Hose Company rapidly rising to the office of Captain. He also became President of the EFD’s Officers’ Association. During this period, he often rode with FDNY’s Engine 82 and Ladder 31 in the Bronx. In 1971 he transferred from the Eastchester FD to the Somers Volunteer Fire Department in which he achieved the positions of Lieutenant of its rescue/ambulance as an EMT, as well as in the Department’s Fire Police. He is a Life Member of the Somers VFD, and served the Department as its Secretary for a period of fifteen years. He is the Department’s Chaplain. Bob had joined the Westchester County Volunteer Firemen’s Association when he was a member of the Bronxville Eng. & Hose Company. In 1981 he became its Secretary, a position he held for thirty-five years. He also was a representative to the Westchester County EMS Council. He continues in the Association as a Life Member serving as Chaplain since 1986, and also on its EMS and Fire Police committees. In 2012, Bob was awarded a Certificate of Special Commendation by the United States Congress in recognition for his outstanding community services that encompassed his volunteer activities throughout the State and the Hudson Valley. Bob is a Chaplain with the Hudson Valley Volunteer Firemen’s Association, also serving its Fire Police Committee. Since the late 1970’s, he continues as a Director of the New York State Volunteer Ambulance & Rescue Association, and is also the Secretary of its District Five in Orange County. He has served nearly 48 years as a member of FASNY, and roughly 23 years with the Volunteer Fire Police Association of the State of New York (VFPASNY), in which he is Chairman of the southern Hudson Valley Region. He also serves the State Association as one of its chaplains. Bob is a Director, as well as a chaplain in the Dutchess County Volunteer Firemen’s Association. In Dutchess, he is also a member of the Volunteer Fire Police Association, serving as its Secretary (30 years), and chaplain. He is also Chaplain of the Volunteer Fire Police Association of Ulster County.

Chaplain Patrick Vanderbeck

Regional Director – West 

 

Regional Director - North

 

Regional Director – Central

Chaplain Spencer P. Kennedy

Regional Director - West Central 

 

 Past Chief Chaplains

Chaplain Leon I. VanWie

Immediate Past Chief Chaplain (2020-2022) 

 

 

Chaplain Leon I. VanWie was the Chief Chaplain for the New York State Association of Fire Chaplains, Inc. from 2020 - 2022. He retired in 2017 after serving 44 years as a United Methodist pastor serving churches in western, central and northern New York. Rev. VanWie has been active in the fire service since 1976 and was an EMT for over 15 years. Currently he is the Chaplain and President for the Town of Watertown Volunteer Fire Department and is Chaplain for the City of Watertown Fire Department. He also serves as Jefferson County Car 51, along with Chaplain Sam Lundy, as a Deputy Fire Coordinator for chaplain services. He also belongs to numerous county and state fire organizations.

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Chaplain William Mayo

Chief Chaplain (2018-2020)